Today’s search podcast covers issues with Google making more use of landing
pages to rank ads; Google now reporting invalid clicks to advertisers; online ad
spend expected to continue rising; bailing out of the Google Jet and more!
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Below are links to items discussed:
- Detailed
Look into the Google AdWords Landing Page Algo
The Google AdWords landing page algo changes this month have resulted in many
advertisers sitting up and thinking about quality issues beyond their ad copy,
and looking more closely at their landing pages. I caught up with Google to
get specifics on how the algo works, including just how they decided what made
a good landing page versus what didn’t when they created their algo. I also
have ten best practices for advertisers needing to improve landing page
quality. The full length SEW subscribers article is here. A shorter (but
free!) version is here. Want to share your own best…
Virgin’s Not So Generous Frequent Flyer Program
- Google
AdWords Now Reporting Invalid Click Rates
Google is now offering AdWords advertisers the ability to see how many invalid
clicks that Google catches before they are billed. “Estimating
invalid clicks” from the Official Google Blog has more about this good
move, which should help to better educate advertisers.
- Google
Toolbar Look-Alike Installing Malicious Programs
Search Engine Journal
reports on a SurfControl release that fake Google Toolbars are being
downloaded unknowingly and causing those computers to be contaminated with
malicious programs. The programs then use the computers to send out mass-email
spam and/or for “internet attacks.” So be careful where you download your
toolbars.
- Online
Ad Spend 9% Of All Ad Spend By 2011
ClickZ reports on a JupiterResearch report that online advertising spend is
projected to snag up nine-percent of the total advertising pie by 2011. They
estimate that $25.9 billion in revenues will be spent on online ads by 2011,
“rising at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11 percent over the next
five years.” For search marketers, of that 9-percent of the pie, 43-percent of
the online ad spend will be search base ads accounting for $11.1 billion, by
2011.
- AOL
Redesigns Local CityGuides
Thanks to Gary Price for pointing out that AOL has launched a beta redesign of
its popular CityGuides. Here’s the current version of the site for New York
and here’s the new beta version of the same city site. Of the more than 300
CityGuides AOL offers, the top 25 are part of the new beta.
- FAA
Safety Instructions For The Google Jet
InsideGoogle spotted a funny write up named Google founders eager to take
users for a ride. I’ll quote the piece InsideGoogle quoted. I’m now required
by the Federal Aviation Administration to give the following safety
instructions, because our aircraft is in beta and always will be: